Whisky Magazine Issue 11

From the EditorI was lunching with my publisher recently in a trendy London restaurant, as one does. It was the kind of place which is favoured by advertising account executives and merchant bankers; my publisher wa...September 2000, Issue 11, page 5

Liquid mystery (Lagavulin)What makes Lagavulin great? Dave Broom goes in search of answers at the home of one the world's most elusive malts.September 2000, Issue 11, page 28

Comfort and joyWhisky pilgrims , tourists, locals- this summer's Islay Festival attracted fans from around the globe. Michael Jackson reports on a time to remember, while Marcin Miller travels east to catch up on t...September 2000, Issue 11, page 34

High hopesMaisha Frost discovers a new collection of whiskies that resurrect the Bennachie nameSeptember 2000, Issue 11, page 37

Growing old gracefullyCoopering is an essential part of the maturation process. Gavin D Smith hails an irreplaceable art.September 2000, Issue 11, page 38

First ClassWhisky Magazine's Michael Jackson teamed up with a panel of fellow experts to assess the new Balvenie vintage caskSeptember 2000, Issue 11, page 43

Whiskies galoreHeaven is wall to wall Scotches, bourbons and malts for the taking. Stuart Maclean Ramsay had a hard time coping.September 2000, Issue 11, page 45

Glenmorangie Highland EstateYou can feel the tension ease from your shoulders as you are met at Inverness airport. A representative assists you in the normally stressful business of removing your baggage from the uncluttered con...September 2000, Issue 11, page 46

Ben Nevis 10 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 46.00%8The sweetness could be excessive, but it is saved by the stogie.

Blair Athol 12 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 43.00%7The obvious sherry ageing really suits Blair Athol. It is a malt that matures quickly, and this is very sophisticated for its age. A lovely whisky.

Edradour 10 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 40.00%8Much more sherried than the previous 10 Years Old distillery bottling. The back-label still lifts (unattributed) phrases from my tasting notes for that edition. The new version is very elegant, but th...

Glencoe 8 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 58.00%7That simple one-two of sweetness and dryness is not especially complex, but the flavours are delicious. Very wholesome and appetising.

Gordon & MacPhail Aberfeldy 1978Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00%8Delicate but not bland. Real subtlety. Very mature, but not a hint of wood. A Highlander, but blindfold I would have placed it as a Speysider.

Inchmurrin 10 Years OldSingle Malt - Scotland - 40.00%7Very scenty and sweet. A restorative. Perhaps after a bath or swim?

Signatory Aberfeldy 1978Single Malt - Scotland - 43.00%7Less structure than the youthful version from the distillery or the more mature choice, but enjoyable in its own right. As a dessert malt with trifle?

Signatory Edradour 1976Single Malt - Scotland - 53.10%7Still a hint of the typical creaminess. Although its flavours are on the light side, Edradour is quite rich in body. It stands up well to age, but this is not the best '76 I have tasted.

Signatory Glenturret 1973Single Malt - Scotland - 55.50%8Distillery bottlings of Glenturret from this era tend to be quite sherryish, but this Signatory edition is not. The absence of sherry reveals the use of a truly peaty malt in the 1970s.